The Complexity of Memories
by purplepjs
Summary: Phoenix panics when Kristoph finds out about his continuing relationship with Maya. Is a mysterious Fey relative the key to keeping her safe? Follows The Rest of The Pieces. Post T&T, pre AJ. Phoenix/Maya


**A/N: Wow, it feels like forever since I have posted anything on here apart from the one-shot I added to The Pieces In Between for Phoenix/Maya day. I am so busy these days that I don't have the time for creative writing that I used to, but truth be told the idea for this fic came to me not long after I finished The Rest of the Pieces. I wrote notes then, but abandoned it when I got too busy.**_  
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**I'm picking up again now as practice of sorts. News of GS5 has my creative juices flowing with regards to the pairing and I am currently working on something that calls for my writing to be a little more hard edged than my usual angst offset with fluff style. Problem is, I think my skills in that area are lacking. So you guys get to be my guinea pigs with this fic. ****  
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**The Complexity of Memories will be a little darker, a little more serious and a little more adult so bear with me as I fumble through this unfamiliar territory in an attempt to better myself. I can't really commit to an update schedule yet either, but I'll do the best I can. I've plotted out ten chapters, so this definitely won't take me three years to finish like my last epic, I promise. ****  
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**The story takes place about midway between Trials and Tribulations and Apollo Justice. If you have any more questions with regards to timing or things that don't make sense, ask in the comments and I will address them. I guess now it's time to begin.**

* * *

Maya giggled as Phoenix grabbed her waist and fell backward on to the bed. She fell ungracefully on top of him, instantly adjusting her position and sitting upright, pinning him into place with her knees against his hips. Immediately, his hands moved to her tank top, sliding his hands beneath the material and manoeuvring the garment over her head.

"Look at us..." he grinned. "Like a couple of hormonal teenagers."

"It's because I'm hot," Maya stated simply. "I keep telling you how lucky you are. I'm totally hot."

"Yes," Phoenix growled, pulling her down to him. "Yes you are."

He felt overcome with sensation the moment their lips finally met. It had been forever since they had managed to get any time alone, or at least it seemed that way. This weekend away was exactly what they both needed.

It was indeed true that absence made the heart grow fonder and Phoenix wished he didn't know how true that was from firsthand experience. The truth of the statement was demonstrated time and time again by the intensity of their excitement each time their paths crossed. It sounded cheesy, but he had never known a love so strong. What was between them wasn't just physical, he felt as if it consumed him. It was a need. A need to touch her. A need to be close to her. Long days and even longer nights spent apart only served to intensify their desires as their remaining clothing became nothing more than an annoyance, now strewn across the hotel room floor.

Their bodies found a natural rhythm easily and he savoured the way her small body moved against his own. His mind raced. Had she always been so perfect? Had she always been his entire world? It was times like this, in the most intimate of settings when her name echoed through his mind in time with his heartbeat that he couldn't remember what it was like before she came along.

He rolled her on to her back, chuckling at her yelp of surprise at his sudden movement. He loved the heat of her breath against his ear, the way she dug her fingernails into his shoulder blades and the way she grinned at him whenever their eyes met, all fiery and focused solely on him. He knew that people spend their whole lives looking for the love he held in his arms, yet fate had cursed him to walk away from her, over and over. Perhaps it would have been easier to wait to see each other until this mess was sorted to avoid having to leave her time and time again, but he just couldn't do it. He was addicted. She was a part of him now. A part that he couldn't function without, as essential as the air he breathed.

His head swam, almost intoxicated as he became hyper aware of her every movement, every sound. She gasped his name, softly at first as he felt her nose graze against his ear. She clutched at him as her body tensed, her back arching beneath him as she cried out his name, louder this time. Smiling, he kissed her, satisfied with the knowledge that he made her feel things just as intensely as she made him feel. She was his, and no matter what life would throw at them, he knew that she always would be.

So much had changed since their first night together in Ami Fey's cabin. She had been so timid, so unsure. Now her touch was confident, skilled. Somewhere in the last three years she had gained the ability to convey everything he meant to her in just the slightest trace of her fingertips across his skin. He could feel how much she loved him with every movement, every glance.

She was his light in what was otherwise a dark place. A reason to wake up every day and do everything he could to clear his name. When things got difficult, it was the thought of her that pushed him onward. Each time they met he always feared that it would be the last time, that something horrible would happen to tear them apart. Neither were strangers to heartache or loss and part of him felt almost guilty at the happiness he felt with her in his arms. Did he deserve this? Did he deserve her? He hated the way that he treated every meeting like it could be their last, but he couldn't do anything to quell his pessimism. Though it was never discussed between them in words, he made sure she knew she was loved and she in turn, did the same.

Completely in tune with each others bodies, they both soon found the release they had been craving, both on a physical and emotional level. Sweaty and entangled, hearts pounding, they grinned at each other as their surroundings once again began to filter into their consciousness. The bed, the hotel room, the mid afternoon sunlight peeking through the flimsy curtains. With a quick kiss to the tip of her nose, Phoenix rolled himself to the side, dropping his head to the pillow with a thud. He always worried that he would crush her tiny frame with the weight of his, but she never complained.

He closed his eyes, taking a moment to allow his erratic heartbeat to return to its regular pace. Glancing to his right he couldn't help but smile at the sight of Maya, cheeks flushed and eyes half lidded. A tiny smile spread across her perfect pink lips.

Rolling on to his side, he placed a hand on her stomach, watching her intently as her smile widened with his touch.

* * *

Memories of their weekend at the fancy hotel flitted through Phoenix's mind as his fingers fumbled over the piano keys. Beautiful weather in a beautiful location. Not that any of that mattered. They had barely left the room anyway. But that was always the case when he managed to steal a weekend away with her. Maya would book some ridiculously expensive penthouse hotel room on the beachfront but they always spent their time indoors, ordering room service, watching old Samurai flicks and well... keeping themselves entertained in other ways.

Detective Gumshoe and Maggey were always happy to care for Trucy at a moments notice without any questions, even though the detective insisted on giving Phoenix a totally transparent wink and nod when he dropped his young daughter off. To his merit, Gumshoe never mentioned Maya by name, but the gleam in his eye told Phoenix that he knew they were still together. He understood the need for discretion, and Phoenix was thankful. Trucy didn't know a thing about Maya and as much as he knew she would adore her "new mom", the timing just wasn't right. He'd tell her one day, when it was safe for them to be together again. He just didn't know how long that would take.

He wondered idly if Maya would ever get tired of him, or curious about other men. He was the only man she had ever been with, after all. He'd broached the subject with her once, telling her that there was every chance that what she considered "mind blowing in the sack" (her words) was simply just mediocre. She'd laughed at him then, her beautiful smile lighting up her eyes when she'd said that if he was just mediocre, then expert level would definitely give her a heart attack. He liked that answer. She always knew just what to say to make him feel good about himself again.

"Good Evening, Herr Wright." Kristoph greeted in his usual cool manner, jarring Phoenix from his reverie. The off note in his practiced melody proof that he had been startled by the disingenuous defense attorney.

"Good evening Mr Gavin. What brings you to my neck of the woods?" Phoenix asked flatly, recovering his cool.

"Please, I tell you all the time to call me Kristoph. We are friends, correct?" Kristoph smiled, the practiced gesture not meeting his eyes. It never did. "The Borscht Bowl is quite the fine establishment."

Phoenix scoffed lightly. A fine establishment The Borscht Bowl was not. In fact, he'd be more inclined to call it a dive. Kristoph definitely stood out against the bars usual clientele, which tonight consisted of two drunken Russian guys arguing at the bar and the fifty year old woman with the questionable profession swirling around her glass of vodka at the table in the back. It was definitely quiet, even for a Tuesday.

"And visiting here also gives me an opportunity to hear my favourite pianist play," Kristoph finished, his fake smile growing even more caustic.

"Well you're outta luck because I'm the one playing tonight." Phoenix quipped, his eyes remaining trained on the piano keys beneath his fingers.

Kristoph laughed, the sound like nails on a chalkboard to Phoenix's ears.

"You are too self-deprecating Herr Wright. You do not give yourself enough credit for your talent," he praised, making the hair on the back of Phoenix's neck stand on end. What was he doing here? And more importantly, why was he acting like they were best friends?

"Either that's a lie or your taste leaves much to be desired," Phoenix forced himself to chuckle in response, hoping to god it came out sounding more sincere than he had anticipated.

"Most definitely not true," Kristoph commended yet again. "I have excellent taste. It is, what you would call most refined."

Tired with the ruse, Phoenix finished the last few bars of the piece he had been playing and turned to face the defense attorney.

"Sorry, I've just finished my last set. I'll be playing poker at eleven."

"This is perfect," Kristoph smiled. "That is just enough time to join me for a drink."

Phoenix knew he should have refused, but curiosity got the better of him as he stood with a nod and followed Kristoph to a table, stopping by the bar to grab a grape juice for himself and a glass of the house red for Kristoph. Taking a seat across from him, Kristoph accepted the glass, swirling the contents first before taking a sip.

"Marvellous," Kristoph said with an appreciative nod, placing the glass back down on the table. Phoenix nodded tersely in reply. No it wasn't. That stuff was crap. He'd tasted it. What exactly was Kristoph playing at?

"We have not seen each other in many weeks, Herr Wright. How are you doing? How is young Trucy?" Kristoph chattered idly, the mention of his daughters name setting off alarm bells in Phoenix's mind.

He quelled the inner urge to shout at the man that Trucy was none of his business. He picked up his grape juice bottle instead, concentrating on the feel of the cool sweetened liquid sliding down the back of his throat, imagining at the same time that it was cooling off his anger. Slipping his hand into his pocket, his fingers curled around the cool stone of Maya's magatama. Locks and chains immediately appeared, obscuring Kristoph from his vision. Just as he had suspected they would.

"Trucy is just fine." Phoenix said pointedly, hoping that the brevity of his answer would convey to Kristoph that any mention of his young daughter was off limits. Kristoph seemed unaffected.

"I am so glad to hear this," he responded, clasping his bony hands together in a pleased manner. He picked up his glass of wine and took another sip before speaking suddenly, as if he had just remembered the purpose for his visit. "Actually, I do have something of interest to share with you. I was fortunate enough to attend a party thrown by the mayor a few weeks ago. You will not believe who was in attendance."

Phoenix felt himself stiffen as mild panic flooded through him. Please don't let it be her. Please don't let it be her. He swallowed heavily, somehow managing to get a word out, even though his mouth had gone dry.

"Who?"

"The Master of the Kurain Channelling Technique." Kristoph smiled, as though his news would be wondrous to Phoenix's ears. "She is quite the social attraction these days. Everyone who is anyone wants to meet her."

Phoenix felt his stomach sink to his feet. If he thought he felt bad at Kristoph's mention of Trucy, this was a thousand times worse.

"I'm sorry, who?" Phoenix bluffed quickly, hoping to give Kristoph the impression that Maya was long forgotten.

"You know of whom I speak, Herr Wright." Kristoph said with a shake of his head before elaborating. "Maya Fey - she was your assistant before the... unpleasantness. She has grown into a beautiful young woman. Truly breathtaking."

The sound of Maya's name leaving Kristoph's lips left Phoenix's stomach in knots. This was not good. Not good at all. She shouldn't even be on Kristoph's radar. He turned his focus to the bottle in front of him, frowning as he picked at the corner of the bright purple label.

"We lost contact a long time ago," his voice came out gruff, almost hurt. He hoped it was enough to convince Kristoph that their supposed parting had been a painful experience.

"Such a shame," Kristoph sympathised without an ounce of actual sympathy.

"Yeah well an attorney disbarred for forging evidence wasn't very good for her political career, so she left me behind." Phoenix explained brusquely. "She's part of another life now..." he finished with what he hoped was a convincing sigh.

"Yes, such things are behind us now," Kristoph agreed cryptically.

Phoenix snapped his eyes up to meet Kristoph's expressionless icy blue ones. He knew something. Something about Maya. Perhaps something about the both of them. The thought made Phoenix feel physically ill.

"I've... I've got to go Kristoph." Phoenix stammered, tearing his eyes away. "Eleven o' clock poker game and all."

"Yes, yes. Of course." Kristoph said with a nod, extending his hand. "It has been a pleasure as usual, Herr Wright. We must catch up again soon, yes?"

"Sure," Phoenix nodded dumbly as he stood, moving to shake the mans hand.

It was ice cold. Huge surprise.

Phoenix walked away from the table towards the basement door, Kristophs eyes still burning into his back. He squeezed his eyes shut and willed his heart to stop pounding in his chest.

Maya.

He had to protect her, no matter the cost.

* * *

**A/N: Starting out a fic with a sex scene... Stay classy, PJ's.**


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